Jamie, Ian and I had decided that we would venture down to Kakum National park to go on the Canopy Walk. It was our last day in Ghana and we didn’t want to waste it. This was a bit daring because of the length of time that it takes to travel there and back. We had to be back on the ship by 6:00pm but the line can be quite long on the day we depart so we usually like to allow 2 hours for the line alone.
At breakfast we met a girl who lives down the hall who wanted to go with us so the four of us met in the gangway and were on our way. It was drizzling a little but we were not discouraged (and I had Nana’s poncho so, clearly, I was good to go). We headed down to the main gate of the port and then took a taxi to the passenger van station. We got on a passenger van and took it to Cape Coast where we took another taxi to Kakum National Park. We had just missed the tour and didn’t want to wait an hour and a half until the next one so Ian and I put our negotiation skills to work. We convinced the man at the counter to let a different tour guide walk us to the current tour group. The hike was more than I expected but once up at the Canopy Walk, I understood why. The canopy’s were over 300 feet in the air and were really long. They connected to different trees. Some people in the tour group were nervous and scared but we were just fine. I took videos and pictures but the true height can only be depicted through physically being there. After hiking back down, we found our taxi driver and he drove us the passenger van station. We loaded a passenger van back to Takoradi. I made sure that I stayed awake for the drive because the villages alongside the road are something that I wanted to take in one last time. The atmosphere was like nothing that I had seen before. People selling goods and hand crafted items, children and babies playing in the dirt, women cleaning in unclean water, and others waiting for rides on the side of the road. As we neared Takoradi the time was 4:00pm and I was getting nervous. Would we make it back to the ship without getting dock time (a penalty for being late)? Would I get to spend the rest of my money at the port like I had planned or would I just have to call it a wash?
When we arrived back at the main gate of the port I was in “hustle mode.” I found someone to make me two bracelets that I wanted and then looked around for a shirt. I never found the shirt that I was looking for but I had the bracelets made and they look great. While waiting for the bracelets to be made we missed the shuttle van and had to walk nearly a mile back to the ship. There was a large array of vendors right in front of the ship so after practically running to the ship and realizing that there was no line to get on, I began to bargain. I’m all about getting the most bang for my buck so I looked around and priced out the items that I wanted. Then I bargained. I was able to buy everything that I wanted. I was really happy with my purchases and headed back on the ship with a huge smile on my face…and without dock time!
Back on the ship we ate dinner and watched as we sailed away from the coast of Ghana. I was so sad to leave but so grateful for the multitude of activities I was able to do while in town. Ghana, I will be sure to visit again!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Day 4 - Accra
We met Polaine around 8:30am and he drove us across town to the Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. We arrived just after 9:00am but visitors aren’t allowed until 10:00am. So, Polaine took us back to the National Theater for a tour. His brother works there and we were given a tour around the building. We even got to see a rehearsal for a production that is taking place later this month! After our tour, Polaine drove us back to the Memorial Park where we were given a private tour. Polaine was hooking it up with the tours and inside scoop! After our tour we drove back across town for lunch with Esenam and some other friends. We met at Melting Moments, the restaurant near her school. I ordered the special of the day, Banku and Tilapia. I ordered a different variety of pastries for the road and after lunch we said good-bye to Esenam for the last time. Then Polaine drove us to the Oxford Street one last time so that we could stop by Koala (the grocery store). We bought a Thank You card and chocolates for Esenam’s parents as a Thank You for their generosity towards us during the duration of our stay. Polaine suggested that we visit one last market area before boarding our bus back to Takoradi. So, he dropped us off and we ventured through. We had already bought more than we needed but Jamie and Ian found some bracelets that they liked and we bought some ribbon to tie to the chocolate for Esenam’s parents. We found Polaine, which was a struggle being that we were downtown and there are buses, people, and vendors everywhere! Polaine drove us to the bus station where we gathered our stuff and took some last minute pictures with him. He made sure that we loaded up and didn’t overpay, then headed on his way. We sat on the bus for an hour before it was full and ready to leave. While waiting on the bus, women selling food and a variety of items came on and tried to sell to us. We politely denied and sat in the heat as we swatted away mosquitoes and waited patiently for the bus to depart. Once the bus finally departed a pastor stood up and began to give a sermon, then a lengthy prayer for the journey to Takoradi. Some passengers gave him money and others just worshiped along with him. Once on the road and out of town I was thankful for my ipod. I listened to music until we arrived in Takoradi. Although, at one rest stop I bought a loaf of bread through the window and truly felt like a native! We got off the bus and took a taxi back to the ship. After the long journey we were tired and dirty. Showers and bed is all that was on my mind.
Day 3 - Accra
Esenam took a taxi from her home to our hotel. We hopped in and went to breakfast with her. She recommended a little spot by her school, Melting Moments. It was the perfect start to our day. I had chocolate chip waffles and ordered some pastries for the road. We then headed over to her school. She attends Ashesi, a small private university in Accra. We met the Dean of Students then sat in on her Intro to Finance Class. The Professor lectured much slower than I am used to, but it was a nice change. The students actually had time to write down the information on the power point, ask questions, and work out the problems on the board. After class we stopped by Esenam’s home to drop off our belongings before heading to lunch and back to Oxford Street to shop. Esenam’s mother runs a school on their property and with school being in session, we decided to stop by a classroom and introduce ourselves. We were introduced by her mother to a third grade class. I was introduced as Auntie Kayla and the students replied, “Hi, Auntie Kayla!” It was so proper and nice. There were six students in the class and one teacher. They had just finished lunch and were eager to meet us. We had an informal question-answer session. The children asked questions like, “Do you eat a lot of cheese pizza in America?” and “Do you have Alps?” One child asked how old we are then followed that by asking what year were we born in. The children were so bright, well-behaved and polite. After meeting with the class for about 20 minutes we headed out to have lunch.
Esenam’s parents recommended the National Theater as a good place for us to try FuFu. So, we went there and decided to share a huge bowl of fufu. We also ordered fried rice and chicken…boy am I happy that we did because the fufu wasn’t my style. I had a couple bites just to say that I tried it, and that was enough. After lunch we headed back to Oxford Street and bargained for some more paintings that we had seen the previous day. We randomly met up with some SAS students on the street and decided to stay at the same hotel as them for the night. After some more shopping and walking the street we were hungry again and remembered that Esenam had said the Pizza Inn had a special, Terrific Tuesday. We ordered a pizza and enjoyed our mini feast. After that we took a taxi back to Esenam’s home to get our belongings. Her parents greeted us with open arms and elaborated some more on life in Ghana. Esenam’s parents insisted that their driver, Polaine, be our driver for the following day. Her father wanted us to be able to do everything in town that we wanted to do and having a driver would enable us to get everything done. I was surprised by such an offer and definitely couldn’t resist. So, Esenam wrote out a schedule for the day and Polaine’s phone number so that we could call him in the morning. Her mom drove us to our hotel and we hung out with SAS students for the night.
Esenam’s parents recommended the National Theater as a good place for us to try FuFu. So, we went there and decided to share a huge bowl of fufu. We also ordered fried rice and chicken…boy am I happy that we did because the fufu wasn’t my style. I had a couple bites just to say that I tried it, and that was enough. After lunch we headed back to Oxford Street and bargained for some more paintings that we had seen the previous day. We randomly met up with some SAS students on the street and decided to stay at the same hotel as them for the night. After some more shopping and walking the street we were hungry again and remembered that Esenam had said the Pizza Inn had a special, Terrific Tuesday. We ordered a pizza and enjoyed our mini feast. After that we took a taxi back to Esenam’s home to get our belongings. Her parents greeted us with open arms and elaborated some more on life in Ghana. Esenam’s parents insisted that their driver, Polaine, be our driver for the following day. Her father wanted us to be able to do everything in town that we wanted to do and having a driver would enable us to get everything done. I was surprised by such an offer and definitely couldn’t resist. So, Esenam wrote out a schedule for the day and Polaine’s phone number so that we could call him in the morning. Her mom drove us to our hotel and we hung out with SAS students for the night.
Day 2 - Accra
We ventured out for our journey to Accra. A group of 10 of us took taxis to the Accra bus station. Due to the long line and unpredictability in the bus system (buses leave when they are full and it can take a while for them to fill up), we decided to load up in a passenger van. We each paid 9 cedi ($6) and made sure that the van was air conditioned...crucial to us making it to Accra in the heat. I was wayyyy in the back where the ride is extra bumpy and overly crowded. We took the same main rode that we traveled the day before to Cape Coast. The native guy sitting next to me was really nice, well dressed, and funny. He got off before Accra so for the last half hour of the 3 and a half hour ride, we had some much needed extra space! Once at the Accra station we stepped out of the van and were instantly struck my the heat. Our interport student (my new Ghanaian friend), Esenam, had arranged for her family driver to come and pick us up. Our large group was split with 2 friends visiting relatives, 4 friends visiting a village, and the remaining 4 of us, including Esenam, stayed in Accra.
Polaine, the driver, picked us up after we arrived. We loaded up our stuff and drove across town to the hotel where we would be staying. We saw some unusual sightings such as a man sitting on the curb butt naked, just relaxing. Our hotel, The Pentagon Inn, was a large home converted into a hostel-like hotel. Each room had a large king size bed and bathroom attached. The accommodation was quite nice, but still not what we were expecting. The beds were stiff and the shower had a hand held nozzle that trickled with water. We figured out the rooming situation while Esenam went home to put her bags away. She came back to pick us up and we headed to Oxford Street to do some shopping. Polaine dropped us off, then we walked to a bank to get some money and then bargained our way through each shop. After shopping, we walked to a nearby grocery store to pick up some Ghanaian ice cream then took a taxi back to Esenam’s home for dinner. At her home we met her parents, one of her older brothers, her cousin, and their cook. They had set a table and prepared a large spread of food for us to eat. The menu consisted of jollof, fried chicken, baked chicken, steamed vegetables, kelewele, and fired plantain. The food was delicious! We discussed Ghanaian culture and traditions. Our conversations were so insightful and powerful. Esenam’s father spoke so highly of creating a community and about his family. Everyone calls each other, visits weekly, and respects their elders. After dinner we headed back to our hotel then enjoyed free wifi for the night….a special treat after living on the ship!
Polaine, the driver, picked us up after we arrived. We loaded up our stuff and drove across town to the hotel where we would be staying. We saw some unusual sightings such as a man sitting on the curb butt naked, just relaxing. Our hotel, The Pentagon Inn, was a large home converted into a hostel-like hotel. Each room had a large king size bed and bathroom attached. The accommodation was quite nice, but still not what we were expecting. The beds were stiff and the shower had a hand held nozzle that trickled with water. We figured out the rooming situation while Esenam went home to put her bags away. She came back to pick us up and we headed to Oxford Street to do some shopping. Polaine dropped us off, then we walked to a bank to get some money and then bargained our way through each shop. After shopping, we walked to a nearby grocery store to pick up some Ghanaian ice cream then took a taxi back to Esenam’s home for dinner. At her home we met her parents, one of her older brothers, her cousin, and their cook. They had set a table and prepared a large spread of food for us to eat. The menu consisted of jollof, fried chicken, baked chicken, steamed vegetables, kelewele, and fired plantain. The food was delicious! We discussed Ghanaian culture and traditions. Our conversations were so insightful and powerful. Esenam’s father spoke so highly of creating a community and about his family. Everyone calls each other, visits weekly, and respects their elders. After dinner we headed back to our hotel then enjoyed free wifi for the night….a special treat after living on the ship!
Day 1 - Cape Coast
We arrived in Takoradi and decided to head down to Cape Coast to visit the Castles and Dungeons. A group of 8, including myself, walked nearly a mile to the main gate of the port and caught a taxi to the passenger van station. Our drive across town clearly showed the poverty and despair of those living in the area. Locals selling everything from fabric and hand made jewelry to paintings and wooden masks crowded the streets and created a market in the center of town and on the side walks. At the station we paid for a ticket on a passenger van then had to wait until it was full for it to leave. Luckily our group was 8 people strong because each van holds 15 people, sometimes more with small children and babies. We waited probably 20 minutes in the van, wiping sweat from our brow, and rejecting locals trying to sell us bread, water, eggs, phone cards, watches, etc. Once on the road we traveled an hour and a half only to catch a taxi to the El Mina Castle and Slave Dungeons.
The first thing I noticed was the view. Gorgeous, clear blue skies with waves crashing on shore, children playing in the water and a vibrant town just steps away. Then we entered. Tall white walls with decay and cracks made history come alive. Our tour guide gave a powerful and insightful presentation mentioning that the castle was 540 years old. In each dungeon, over 150 slaves were held. The dungeons measured approximately 20’ wide x 40’ long and the walls 50’ tall. Our guide decoded phrases on the walls and took us around to each section, outlining the significance and importance of it all. We saw male dungeons, female dungeons, the holding cells, the shackles and the point of no return. We took pictures and videos but the true magnitude cannot be shared in words and pictures, it is definitely an awe-inspiring sight to see. The same atmosphere that I described earlier with the clear blue skies and fresh breeze; slaves didn’t experience at all. They saw white walls, feces, and smelled stench every moment of every day. The dungeons with a window only supplied a view of the tall white wall from another nearby dungeon. After the tour we took pictures, looked around in the gift shop and made our way back to the taxi.
After leaving El Mina we took our taxi to Cape Coast Castle and Slave Dungeon. This was a larger facility with an expansive courtyard area and cannon platform. The view was stunning…the place, however, was somber. Once again, the dungeons were dark and stoic. There was a line of demarcation indicating where feces once were (approximately 2-3 feet tall). Thinking about the mistreatment of slaves while standing in the exact spot where it took place was complex…so many thoughts went racing through my mind: what did the slaves think, did they have hope of being freed, did they ever imagine that one day this place would be a sight of remembrance, did they consider life after slavery? We then visited the small exhibit outlining more historical facts and artifacts. After taking more pictures and soaking it all up, we headed out.
Children and adults swarmed us as we exited, trying to get us to purchase their goods. A group of children captured my heart by simply wanting to show me how they can do flips, jumps, and leaps. These kids truly were gymnasts! I videoed them as they performed and bought them their favorite snack at the restaurant nearby afterwards. The way I see it, I was supporting the local restaurant and feeding the children’s belly’s at the same time. After some shopping we took a taxi back to the passenger van station and then headed back to Takoradi.
The road we traveled was consumed by people. Men, women, children, and babies of the villages along side the road hustle to make money. There are random check points where the police check each car ensuring that they are not overloaded. It is at these stops that the locals take over and do what they do best, sell goods. They will reach in and offer whatever they are selling that day. Some people purchase items and the exchange of money/item happens so quickly that if you are not paying attention, you might miss it. From the van station we took another taxi back to our port and stayed in for the night because we knew that we had a journey ahead of us in the morning if we were to travel to Accra.
Overall, it was a great Day, with great memories! I am proud of history. It paints a picture and tells the story of progress. We have come a long way!
The first thing I noticed was the view. Gorgeous, clear blue skies with waves crashing on shore, children playing in the water and a vibrant town just steps away. Then we entered. Tall white walls with decay and cracks made history come alive. Our tour guide gave a powerful and insightful presentation mentioning that the castle was 540 years old. In each dungeon, over 150 slaves were held. The dungeons measured approximately 20’ wide x 40’ long and the walls 50’ tall. Our guide decoded phrases on the walls and took us around to each section, outlining the significance and importance of it all. We saw male dungeons, female dungeons, the holding cells, the shackles and the point of no return. We took pictures and videos but the true magnitude cannot be shared in words and pictures, it is definitely an awe-inspiring sight to see. The same atmosphere that I described earlier with the clear blue skies and fresh breeze; slaves didn’t experience at all. They saw white walls, feces, and smelled stench every moment of every day. The dungeons with a window only supplied a view of the tall white wall from another nearby dungeon. After the tour we took pictures, looked around in the gift shop and made our way back to the taxi.
After leaving El Mina we took our taxi to Cape Coast Castle and Slave Dungeon. This was a larger facility with an expansive courtyard area and cannon platform. The view was stunning…the place, however, was somber. Once again, the dungeons were dark and stoic. There was a line of demarcation indicating where feces once were (approximately 2-3 feet tall). Thinking about the mistreatment of slaves while standing in the exact spot where it took place was complex…so many thoughts went racing through my mind: what did the slaves think, did they have hope of being freed, did they ever imagine that one day this place would be a sight of remembrance, did they consider life after slavery? We then visited the small exhibit outlining more historical facts and artifacts. After taking more pictures and soaking it all up, we headed out.
Children and adults swarmed us as we exited, trying to get us to purchase their goods. A group of children captured my heart by simply wanting to show me how they can do flips, jumps, and leaps. These kids truly were gymnasts! I videoed them as they performed and bought them their favorite snack at the restaurant nearby afterwards. The way I see it, I was supporting the local restaurant and feeding the children’s belly’s at the same time. After some shopping we took a taxi back to the passenger van station and then headed back to Takoradi.
The road we traveled was consumed by people. Men, women, children, and babies of the villages along side the road hustle to make money. There are random check points where the police check each car ensuring that they are not overloaded. It is at these stops that the locals take over and do what they do best, sell goods. They will reach in and offer whatever they are selling that day. Some people purchase items and the exchange of money/item happens so quickly that if you are not paying attention, you might miss it. From the van station we took another taxi back to our port and stayed in for the night because we knew that we had a journey ahead of us in the morning if we were to travel to Accra.
Overall, it was a great Day, with great memories! I am proud of history. It paints a picture and tells the story of progress. We have come a long way!
Friday, February 4, 2011
The Happenings of life at Sea…
This week has been a bit hectic! To begin…we have 9 days at sea from Brazil to Ghana. This allows for a lot of time spent looking at the water, observing that the Atlantic Ocean is blue…really blue, and (for me) a lot of time to hang out with friends and do whatever comes to mind.
I absolutely LOVE life at Sea. We have classes on A-Day and B-Day. I, however, only have classes on B-Day! It’s wonderful :)
My A-Day looks something like this…
~Sleep until I’m interrupted by the morning announcements which are read over the loud intercom.
~Sleep some more until my alarm goes off.
~Sleep a little while longer.
~Finally wake up, shower, get ready for lunch.
~Eat lunch.
~Take a nap and/or watch a movie.
~Meet with my LLC (for my job)…usually takes 30 min.
~Hang out with friends, check my emails, do homework if I feel up to it.
~Go outside and sit on the deck, socialize, hang out…the usual.
~Eat dinner.
~Hang out, sit around, play games, do nothing until bedtime.
My B-Day is a little more hectic but looks something like this…
~Wake up at 8:10am hurry upstairs for breakfast because it closes at 8:30am.
~Eat breakfast.
~Go back to my cabin, get ready for the day.
~Go to Global Studies (catch up on journal for oceanography and social justice while in class)
~Hang out with friends in the computer lab or piano lounge.
~Eat lunch.
~Go to Oceanography…usually a couple min late because I refuse to rush lunch.
~Go to Education…write emails in class because the class is taught as though we are in H.S.
~Go to Social Justice…great class, we usually go outside in small groups and sit on the deck.
~Take a nap.
~Go to dinner.
~Hang out with friends, wait for 10 o’clock snacks (big deal around here because the food isn’t great but the snacks are), and plan trips for other countries…bedtime.
Because we have been at Sea for such a long time we had another “Reading Day.” For those that haven’t heard or do not know the way I learn…let me tell you. It isn’t by reading. I don’t buy books. I know it sounds bad but I have been very successful without buying or reading books. My theory is this: Professors write books and usually require them for their class. Professors also lecture during class. It doesn’t seem, from my experience, that they know much more than what they wrote in their books. So, they also lecture about it. Why would I buy AND read a book that my Professor is going to talk about in class. They often post their power points online, so I consider that my book. Logical thinking, right? I thought so, too! I’ll let you know how this semester goes when I finish but I must say that I am doing quite well as of right now.
Back to “Reading Day”…we had one before Brazil and since I don’t buy books…I didn’t read. The day was spent doing what I do on A-Days. We had another “Reading Day” yesterday but the Shipboard community had what we called the Sea Olympics. It was so much fun! We had the Opening Ceremonies two nights ago. Every Deck is separated into Seas…I am the RA for the Baltic Sea and our color is Light Blue. Everyone signed up to compete in different events such as (volleyball, SAS trivia, synchronized swimming, 3 legged race, etc). We created chants, cheers, and even did the cupid shuffle! The Olympics started at 1:00pm and lasted until 6:00pm then we ate dinner and had the closing ceremonies at 8:00pm. The Baltic Sea came in 3rd place!!! We were quite surprised because we lost valuable points in some competitions due to technical difficulties and/or lack of attention to detail (our synchronized swimming routine was amazing but we went over the time limit and was disqualified). The prize: we are the 3rd sea off the ship in San Diego!!!! To disembark everyone on the ship it takes approx. 8 hours…so this is a huge prize!
Ghana on Sunday…and I couldn’t be more excited!!!!
I absolutely LOVE life at Sea. We have classes on A-Day and B-Day. I, however, only have classes on B-Day! It’s wonderful :)
My A-Day looks something like this…
~Sleep until I’m interrupted by the morning announcements which are read over the loud intercom.
~Sleep some more until my alarm goes off.
~Sleep a little while longer.
~Finally wake up, shower, get ready for lunch.
~Eat lunch.
~Take a nap and/or watch a movie.
~Meet with my LLC (for my job)…usually takes 30 min.
~Hang out with friends, check my emails, do homework if I feel up to it.
~Go outside and sit on the deck, socialize, hang out…the usual.
~Eat dinner.
~Hang out, sit around, play games, do nothing until bedtime.
My B-Day is a little more hectic but looks something like this…
~Wake up at 8:10am hurry upstairs for breakfast because it closes at 8:30am.
~Eat breakfast.
~Go back to my cabin, get ready for the day.
~Go to Global Studies (catch up on journal for oceanography and social justice while in class)
~Hang out with friends in the computer lab or piano lounge.
~Eat lunch.
~Go to Oceanography…usually a couple min late because I refuse to rush lunch.
~Go to Education…write emails in class because the class is taught as though we are in H.S.
~Go to Social Justice…great class, we usually go outside in small groups and sit on the deck.
~Take a nap.
~Go to dinner.
~Hang out with friends, wait for 10 o’clock snacks (big deal around here because the food isn’t great but the snacks are), and plan trips for other countries…bedtime.
Because we have been at Sea for such a long time we had another “Reading Day.” For those that haven’t heard or do not know the way I learn…let me tell you. It isn’t by reading. I don’t buy books. I know it sounds bad but I have been very successful without buying or reading books. My theory is this: Professors write books and usually require them for their class. Professors also lecture during class. It doesn’t seem, from my experience, that they know much more than what they wrote in their books. So, they also lecture about it. Why would I buy AND read a book that my Professor is going to talk about in class. They often post their power points online, so I consider that my book. Logical thinking, right? I thought so, too! I’ll let you know how this semester goes when I finish but I must say that I am doing quite well as of right now.
Back to “Reading Day”…we had one before Brazil and since I don’t buy books…I didn’t read. The day was spent doing what I do on A-Days. We had another “Reading Day” yesterday but the Shipboard community had what we called the Sea Olympics. It was so much fun! We had the Opening Ceremonies two nights ago. Every Deck is separated into Seas…I am the RA for the Baltic Sea and our color is Light Blue. Everyone signed up to compete in different events such as (volleyball, SAS trivia, synchronized swimming, 3 legged race, etc). We created chants, cheers, and even did the cupid shuffle! The Olympics started at 1:00pm and lasted until 6:00pm then we ate dinner and had the closing ceremonies at 8:00pm. The Baltic Sea came in 3rd place!!! We were quite surprised because we lost valuable points in some competitions due to technical difficulties and/or lack of attention to detail (our synchronized swimming routine was amazing but we went over the time limit and was disqualified). The prize: we are the 3rd sea off the ship in San Diego!!!! To disembark everyone on the ship it takes approx. 8 hours…so this is a huge prize!
Ghana on Sunday…and I couldn’t be more excited!!!!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Amazon Riverboat Adventure
Before I left for this trip we were instructed to sign up for trips. I chose a couple trips that I thought would be fun, exciting, and well organized. This jungle adventure was one of them. And here is my story…
Day 1
I met my Riverboat group at 9:00am in the union (main auditorium) for our 3 day, 2 night adventure. We boarded a double-decker boat and set sail to see the meeting of two waters and then to our first destination. On the way there it started to rain…then pour!! I was thinking to myself “if it’s like this the whole time, I’m not going to have a lot of fun because I will be wet the whole time”. But in the back of my mind I was thinking, “It’s a good thing Nana gave me that nifty green poncho and I have an umbrella!” We got to our first stop, had lunch, and it stopped raining! Our guides told us that we were going to go on a walk…I was pretty tired and not feeling a walk but I went anyways. I brought my poncho and umbrella because getting wet is not how I wanted to spend my day. We walked down a long path to a sea of water lilies. There were also alligators in the water and our guides brought some meet to throw out to them. It was pretty cool to see our guides lure in the alligators.
We walked back to the boat and then to our next destination. Once there, we boarded canoes and went to a little floating house to go fishing for piranhas. We fished with a bamboo pole, a fishing line, and a little hook with meat at the end. After waiting and waiting…I CAUGHT A PIRANHA! It was so much fun catching one. We were standing in the sun, baking and sweating…it seemed as though my patience had finally paid off. So, I’m holding my pole and another student on my trip decided to flick my fish and see it wiggle while on the pole…dumb idea. It wiggled off and back into the water without me getting a picture. I was a little bit upset. I’m all about the picture and I didn’t get one. Oh well. Life goes on.
After fishing we took our canoes back to our boat where our hammocks were set up for us. We each picked a hammock and took a nap. Some people had said that it would be difficult to sleep in a hammock but I, however, slept just fine. After our nap we had dinner then headed out on our canoes to see if our guide could catch a Cayman (crocodile). Our guide used a flashlight to spot the crocodile, we got up really close, then he bent down and caught it with his bare hand (Yes, he used just one hand)!! I was sitting right in the front of the boat and had the best view out of everyone. We each got to hold the crocodile and take pictures with it. We took our canoe back to the boat, stayed up talking then headed to bed.
Day 2
Woke up and had breakfast on the boat. It was alright…nothing to fancy…the local stuff…but I would prefer a bagel haha. Then we took canoes over to the jungle and went on a 3 hour hike through the forest/jungle. We got attacked by bees. They do not have stingers but they are attracted to hair. I, wearing my oh-so stylish and always classy messy bun, attracted all the bees. So gross. We had to run through the jungle to escape them. We got to swing from a vine and drink from the branch of a tree that has water in it. Pretty cool experience I’d say.
We took canoes back to the boat and then had time to swim in the Rio Negro. This river is black. All of our waste from the boat, the villagers, and anything else that makes its way to the water is floating around in there somewhere. I, usually would have said NO WAY and stayed on shore. But, instead I said what the heck, I’m in the Amazon and got in. I washed up a little bit then got out for lunch. Some people said that they felt so refreshed after going in the water but for some strange reason I didn’t have the same reaction hahaha. After that we had lunch and then took naps. I haven’t had a scheduled nap-time in years and let me tell you, it was a welcomed treat.
After naptime we took canoes to a local village. It was so cool to see how they make canoes and how they live such a simple life using natural resources and surviving off of what they have. The village people’s clothes are so simple, they rarely wear shoes, and seem to have few cares in the world. They had a little market where I spent the remaining Brazilian money I had and then we had time with the children. One little boy used my camera to take pictures and before I knew it, he had taken 200 pictures. Most were super close ups of his hand, feet, and other children taking pictures with others’ camera, but some were really good pictures! The male SAS students played a game of soccer against the local boys and men then us female SAS students played a game with the local girls and women. I was on the team with the locals and we won! I even scored a goal…with my left foot. We said good-bye, or chow in Portuguese, and headed by canoe to our boat. We arrived to fireworks and a beautifully set-up dinner on the beach. They had music and were grilling a bunch of chicken and beef for us. After dinner we played a couple games: limbo, musical chairs, and danced with our guides. They made a campfire for us and we sat around chatting for a bit before heading to bed.
Day 3
Woke up today not feeling the best but wanted to make the best of the last day on this trip. Had some watermelon for breakfast then we all headed to a local plantation/village. Once there our guides showed us how they make corn meal out of the root of a tree. It is a lengthy process to those of us who live in a society where we buy everything almost pre-made and complain when the internet is slow, but for them it’s no big deal. They showed us how to crack open a huge coconut-like nut that is filled with Brazil nuts. Side note: the locals/villagers use a machete for everything (to make a path in the jungle, to cut anything and everything, etc)!! The nuts have an almond-like substance in them but you use a machete to chop off the edges. I tried and it took me probably 10 minutes to get to the white almondy part….mind you, I was scared that I was going to chop off a finger the whole time.
After experiencing life as a villager we had the option of going on another hike through the jungle. Being that I didn’t feel good, it was raining, and I had already been on one hike…I opted out and went with the group heading back to the ship. It began to rain harder and harder, lighting and thunder filled the sky, then the downpour came. I had never been more proud of my decision to stay on the boat. I stayed in my hammock all of the way back to the ship. It took us about 2 hours to get back to the ship and once there I went straight to bed.
The amazon jungle and riverboat adventure was an adrenaline rush, a great way to spend my time in Brazil but a tiring experience to say the least.
I forgot to mention the best part…our guides spoke English and I didn’t have to struggle to communicate anymore. Simply Amazing!
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